Trapped
by Impersonating-an-entity
Summary: Touya and Jin are trapped in a pit, and Jin discovers Touya has a paralyzing fear. And by way of that fear, Jin begins to unlock horrifying secrets of Touya's past. How will he get the 'real' Touya back, the sane one? I don't know that I will ever come


Touya looked, in vain, through the darkness that enveloped him and his partner, Jin. The two of them had been sent on a mission scouting out the place they and the others in their Shinobi sect were thinking of sacking. The prize was great, but so was the danger; it was well protected, as he and Jin had just discovered. They were trapped.

Jin scowled, the gesture lost in the dark. "Crap. 'ow did we get trapped? We're fuckin' Shinobi!" he sighed. Jin flew up in the small hope that there would be an opening above that he could carry Touya through. No such luck. When they'd fallen into the pit, a roof had slid over the top, with barriers to prevent it from being blasted by youki. Jin felt the air growing colder, and sensed Touya's stress. He flew back down to his partner.

Touya was measuring the size of their confines, searching for an opening in the wall. It was small; three paces by four paces square. Touya seemed slightly frantic, pounding against the wall in certain places. His breathing was slightly rushed. He fell into a corner and slid down, his knees propped up before him. Jin sat down next to him, legs out and arms crossed. "Looks like we're stuck fer a while, eh?" he said, trying to sound cheerful.

"I don't like this," Touya mumbled. "I don't like small, dark places. Especially with no out." Jin shifted uncomfortably. Touya sounded... scared... it was hard to think of his friend, the implacable, clever, diplomatic ice master, as being afraid.

"Well, we'll fin' a way out. Or else, our captors 'll prolly show up an' then we can figure an escape. Don' worry, Touya." Jin uncrossed his arms to put one comfortingly on Touya's shoulder, squeezing gently.

Touya nodded, swallowing harshly. "Right. We'll be out soon." Touya put his head between his legs and closed his phosphorescent eyes, trying to stay calm.

Hours passed, in awkward silence. Occasionally, Jin would say something in attempt to comfort Touya, and now, he had wrapped his arm around Touya's shoulders. Touya was rocking slowly side to side, mumbling to himself. "It's ok. It's ok. It's ok." Jin watched in shock.

"Touya? Wha's wrong? Touya, tell me wha's wrong!" Jin pleaded, sliding in front of Touya and putting his arms on both Touya's shoulders. Touya opened his luminous eyes horrifically wide, staring straight at Jin, and Jin shifted uncomfortably – Touya's eyes seemed to, ironically, burn through him, straight to his soul, in their fear and longing and desperation. At the same time, Touya's eyes also looked right past him, as though Jin weren't even there.

"Jin? Get me out of here... Please! I don't want this! I'll... I'll be good!" Touya's eyes... Jin wasn't sure exactly how to describe what was happening to Touya's eyes. If he'd had pupils, they probably would have dilated... Instead, they were turning lighter, his iris beginning to mix with the whites of his eyes, and slowly the color, what little there was, was draining. Jin watched Touya in terror and shock. Touya seemed to be sinking... Jin couldn't even guess where; not any further than memories.

Jin's grasp on Touya's shoulders tightened, as he tried to shake his friend from his strange frenzy. "Touya, Touya, wake up! You're all right, we're all right, but ye can't be doin' this! Ye gotta wake up, Touya!"

Touya sat, and tears began to fall from his strange eyes. "Master! Master, let me go, I'll train harder, please, let me go! Look, look, master, see!" Suddenly, the room was frozen over, ice covering every surface, even some forming on Touya and Jin. Touya sobbed, shaking his head.

Touya grew more panicked with the moment, Jin noticed worriedly. Jin shuddered in the cold, and noticed his winds were beginning to act up. There would be no deluding himself that he was calm. He tugged Touya's shaking body towards himself, wrapping his arms tight around his partner. "Touya, ye gotta stop it! It's ok; now snap out of it! Yer master's not bein' here!"

Touya shook in Jin's arms, when suddenly Touya broke away. He attacked one the walls, slamming against it, punching, kicking, blasting it with ice. He assaulted the wall for only a few minutes that passed away like eternities to Jin's awestruck eyes. He slammed into it a final time, his hands and chest flat against it. His sobs, having slowed while he fought, returned, racking him more powerfully than before. "Let me out!" he shouted, curling a hand into a fist and thumping it against the wall again. Once again, he slid down to his knees, and then sat, his hands in his lap, and forehead against the wall.

Jin rushed over to him again, wondering what he could do. "Please, master... I'll be good, I'll work harder, just don't leave me in here anymore." Touya whispered the words so softly, even Jin could barely hear, with his oversized ears, and his ability to manipulate the breath Touya's words came upon to himself.

Jin pulled Touya back into his lap, leaning against the opposite wall, with their legs out in front of them. He wrapped his arms around Touya's stomach, rocking Touya back and forth slowly. "Hush, Touya, s'okay. Stop yer cryin', we'll be gettin' outta' here."

Touya quieted for a time. He turned slowly back to look at Jin, his eyes now pearly white, and still glowing as usual. He asked timidly, "Who... who are you?"

Jin was taken aback. "Why I'm Jin, I'm yer partner."

Touya closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. "I have no partner. I have no one." He opened his eyes again and looked at Jin once more. His hands lifted from his lap, and he began touching Jin's face softly in the darkness. "You... feel pretty. Are you another of master's apprentices? I wasn't... aware he had others." Touya dropped his hands and bowed his head, turning away.

"No, I'm not bein' an apprentice..." Jin was still wondering how to react to being told he 'felt pretty'. Touya slowly fell into a restless sleep, and Jin did too, taking advantage of Touya's quiet.

Jin was startled awake by Touya. He was screaming. "Let me go! Please! Anything! I'll do anything!" Touya shouted, then he'd just scream. Jin tried to hold Touya, comfort him, but Touya only fought his way loose, backed away, and screamed again. Touya seemed almost afraid of Jin. "Master, let me go! I don't care if you beat me, or take me, or anything, do anything else, just let me go! Master, please!" And then he'd scream again, and Jin shook at the pain and terror in Touya's voice.

Touya clawed at the walls, and at himself, and when Jin would try to restrain him from doing so, he'd only howl louder, and claw and bite at Jin, like an animal.

Jin watched, transfixed, struck with horror at Touya's state, burning with the desire to help, to do something effective, and feeling so useless. This went on for what was surely days, before, finally, Touya's voice went away, but that was almost worse. For Touya still screamed, though no sound came out, and he still shouted, and begged hoarsely for release.

And Touya slumped to the ground, curling up tightly, sobbing and shaking. Jin came over to him, slowly putting his hand on Touya's shoulder, trying not to scare his friend anymore. Touya stopped rocking, and slowly turned to face Jin. And Gods all take it, his eyes! His eyes! They were riddled in red lines, and Jin could almost see more forming. "Let me go. Please, master. Forgive me." He whispered hoarsely, looking at Jin, and somehow seeing someone else...

"Touya... ye haven't done anythin' wrong. There's nuthin' to fergiv'." Jin hugged Touya gently, shaking with fear. Touya's delusions, Touya's behavior... It was all so very different from the cool controlled exterior Touya normally showed. In it's own way, it was as terrifying as whatever Touya thought was going on.

"It's so dark... I'm so alone... I can't stop thinking! Master, please! Save me from these nightmares! Let me out! I'll be good; I'll do whatever you want; I'll train hard, and you can punish me in any other way you want... just let me go... so dark, and small; all my thoughts are trapped in the dark and small... no room to breathe!! Too many thoughts, my thoughts are choking me, the dark is choking me!!" Touya mumbled, his breathing, indeed, labored, panting. Jin hugged Touya close, until Touya fell asleep again.

But this time, Jin had more trouble getting to sleep as well. Touya shook in his arms and still, Touya cried in his sleep. And his eyes! The way he'd been acting! It was confusing and terrifying! Even in his dreams, Touya was still begging his master to free him. Jin began, perhaps for the first time, to really think about, and wonder about, just what happened to Touya before he joined the Shinobi. The picture looked bleak.

Touya woke suddenly, surprising Jin, who had just begun to slowly drift to sleep. "Save me, mister, please?" Touya asked Jin in a childish voice. Jin was startled by this latest change, and then he saw another, accompanying change. The red lines in Touya's eyes had spread – there wasn't a single speck of white left in Touya's glowing, crimson eyes.

Jin shivered and pushed Touya from his arms. Touya slid away limply, looking at Jin in despair. "Mister... Please? Help me. Get me out. I want to see my mommy!" Touya asked in that same, child-like tone. He cried softly, and began hiccupping. "Mommy! Where's my mommy?! It's so dark! Daddy, let me see mommy!" Touya begged another shadow from his past.

Touya's youki felt young too, for all its strength. It swirled around this child-like Touya protectively, forming little ice creatures that tried to comfort their master. Touya absently petted a little ice kitten, crying and hiccupping. "Mister, can't you get me out? Can't you tell my daddy to let me go? Won't you help me find my mommy? I miss her! I haven't seen mommy in so long!"

Jin suddenly felt disgusted at himself for shoving Touya away. As terrified as he was, he could only imagine Touya's pain, at having been pushed to such a desperate change. He crept over to child-Touya. "I'm sorry lil' one. I was mean. I'm sorry. I dunno where yer mommy is. But I'll be keepin' ye comp'ny." Touya's tears slowed.

"Thanks, mister. It's so dark!" Touya sniffed. And Jin began to put his arms around Touya, when Touya almost jumped into his arms, hugging him fiercely. Jin returned the hug fiercely, startled by Touya's boldness. "Where's my mommy? Why is it so dark? Are you sure you'll stay with me?"

"I dunno where she is. It's dark, cuz' ther's no light. And I'll stay with ye as long as I can." Jin said, patting the 'young' ice master on the head.

"How long is that, mister?" Touya asked quietly, tucking his face into the crook of Jin's neck and shoulder.

"Forever." Jin whispered, holding his little Touya tightly.

Touya snuffled and hiccupped again. "Thanks, mister." He tightened his arms around Jin, and let his icy tears fall to clink softly on the floor. Jin rubbed Touya's back, and ran his fingers through his hair, until Touya was soothed.

"How old are ye, Touya?" Jin asked softly.

"Almost 15..." Touya said quietly. Jin calculated rapidly in his head – for different demon races, 15 could be an adult (which obviously wasn't the case) or an infant. Touya had once explained his age in terms of a humans and explained to Jin how to figure out what Touya's relative age would be given his actual age. He said he was nearly 15... That meant that Touya was about the equivalent of a human three year old! Jin squeezed Touya again softly.

"I won' let anyone be hurtin' ye, Touya." Jin said protectively.

Touya pushed his face deeper against Jin's skin. "Thanks, mister." What felt like hours passed before another word was spoken. "Mister? I'm hungry. Can we get out now?" Touya asked softly.

Jin pulled Touya a little closer for a moment. "I dunno. I dun' think we can. I'm sorry."

Touya whimpered softly. Suddenly, a rough, grating noise was heard, something above them slid roughly, and a shaft of light fell down, blinding. Touya shrieked, closing his eyes and clinging to Jin, who yelped, and, in turn, clung to Touya. "Too bright!" Touya murmured against Jin's flesh.

"Shit! Are you two okay?" It was Gama's voice.

Jin looked up, squinting, to see it was Gama. "Sorta'."

"What do you mean, 'sorta'?" Gama asked, wondering why Touya, normally so aloof, was clinging to Jin in such a desperate seeming manner.

"Well, physic'lly, we're fine, but... Touya... well, he's a bit messed up," Jin said.

Slowly Touya let his eyes open, as he got used to the light. "Mister, who are you talking to?" Touya asked in a hushed voice. Gama couldn't hear, but Jin did.

"I'm talkin' to Gama, he's a fren'," Jin explained.

"Come on, Jin, I got it open, now fly out of this blasted trap," Gama called down.

Jin stood and picked up Touya, holding him carefully. "Hold on, Touya." Touya wrapped his arms around Jin's neck and gasped as Jin's feet left the ground.

"We're flying!" Touya said in awe. Jin laughed softly, somewhat uneasily, and Gama looked down in bewilderment. Touya knew Jin could fly; it had never been special before, why now? And what did Jin mean about Touya being 'messed up'?

"Thanks, Gama. 'Twas getting' rough down there. We goin' back now, or continue scoutin'?" Jin asked, having landed and set Touya down.

"Back. After you guys had been gone a couple weeks, I decided to come after you. We'll mark this place off for another day," Gama said, shrugging. "What's wrong with Touya?"

Jin glanced at Touya, who was standing shyly behind Jin, looking at Gama in wonder. "He's... He's uh... come a bit loose. Seems he's got fears after all. I didn' thing think he feared nuthin'. But he does," Jin shrugged, looking concerned all the same.

"Mister, who's the painted man?" Touya asked, grabbing Jin's hand.

"I told ye, tha's Gama," Jin explained. Jin turned back to Gama. "I dunno what ta do abou' him. He's like a lil' kid. He claims he's only 15 – has he explained to you how the aging system works for his race? - If he's 15 that's equivalent to a human-three-year-old. That's how old he claims to be."

Gama stared at Touya. "We'd better get back. Tell me what happened down there while we go." Jin proceeded to explain to Gama what had happened to Touya while they were trapped.

After having heard over what happened, Gama began thinking to himself about what he could do to help, while Touya trotted behind them, frowning in confusion. "Mister... What are you talking about? You keep saying me but... I didn't do any of that..."

Jin sighed. "'Tis complicated, Touya. Don' worry though, we'll be figurin' it out."

Gama nodded... "I may be able to fix some herbs that will help him retrieve his memory, under certain conditions..."

"What conditions?" Jin asked, looking at Gama doubtfully.

"They'd have to be pretty similar to what put him in distress in the first place – in some small, dark room with you."

Jin paled. "I don' wanna' put him through that again! And I certainly don' wanna be watchin' it!"

Gama nodded sympathetically. "We can try other methods first, but if those don't work.... Our options are sadly numbered. I can try the herbs alone, or in similar but less compromising situations, but ultimately..."

Jin nodded sadly. "I suppose if nuthin' else be workin'..."

Touya shuddered, gripping Jin's hand tightly. "You wouldn't put me in that dark place again, right, mister? I been alone in the dark so long, mister. I don't want more dark. I can't be in the dark anymore!" Touya began sobbing, holding Jin's hand as if for his life.

Jin looked at Gama uneasily. With his eyes he told Gama 'See? Look at him!' Gama nodded, feeling concerned for little Touya.

"We should keep him away from Reisho and Bakken. Ruka may be willing to help though. We're almost at camp, we should find a place to keep him and one of us so he doesn't have to see Reisho and Bakken in this state."

Jin nodded. "Tha's a good idea. Reisho and Bakken would pro'lly take advantage of him. An' I think Ruka will help. She seems ta' like him." Jin shivered, looking at Touya's glowing red eyes. "Why are his eyes red like that, Gama?"

"Well, being trapped down there obviously brought back memories better left alone. That's probably what made him turn child-like. And in some demons, when they make a severe psychological change, physical changes may accompany them. Normally it's small, like hair or eye color change, that kind of thing. Sometimes it's severe – change in facial structure, severe change in height, etc. So I guess that's what must have happened." Gama trailed off. Even though he better understood why Touya's eyes had turned red, that didn't mean it didn't disconcert him too.

"Come on, I think I know of another cave further down the river that runs through camp where Touya can stay. We should try and find it. We won't tell Reisho and Bakken where it is. And don't tell Ruka till we know if she'll help." Gama said. Jin nodded, and his grasp on Touya's hand tightened.

"I won' let anyone hurt ye," he whispered to Touya.

Touya nodded. "Thanks, Mister."

Gama glanced at Jin worriedly. They might have to talk later on.

"There it is." Gama pointed to the cave he'd thought of. The entrance was well hidden, even better than the cave where they normally stayed. "Come on. Let's get Touya set up here, and I'll stay with him while you tell the others you two are back, okay Jin? Explain to them what's wrong with Touya, but don't take them here. Later on, we'll both meet with Ruka and see if she'll help before we take her here."

Jin nodded, and Touya followed as they took him to the cave. He peered inside cautiously, coming at Jin's beckon. "Okay, Touya. We're gonna set ye up here. Gama's gonna stay with ye fer now, and I'll be back later with food an' stuff."

Touya held Jin's hand. "You're not leaving, are you, mister?" he pleaded, looking at Jin with wide, scarlet eyes.

Jin shivered slightly. "Only for a li'l while. I'll be comin' back soon."

"Please don't leave me mister. I want you, not the painted man." Jin glanced at Gama painfully.

"Don't worry, little one, I'll take good care of you until Jin returns. You needn't fear," Gama said, stepping forward and offering his hand.

Touya sniffed and wiped his nose on his sleeve. "Okay. But you have to promise to come back soon, okay mister?"

Jin nodded, smiling softly. "Of course."

Touya released Jin's hand slowly, letting his hand fall limply at hi side. Jin turned and left. "Be back soon, 'kay Touya?"

"Okay, mister." Touya said. He sat down and leaned against one of the walls.

Gama looked at him, worrying slightly. Touya and Jin had both been in love before they were trapped, everyone had been sure it would only be a matter of time before they confessed to one another. Touya was obviously very attached to Jin, even in his state. But if Jin let himself forget the way Touya was thinking... they could both be hurt. 'I have to talk to Jin, as soon as possible,' Gama thought, as he sat down next to Touya and tried to engage him in a game.


End file.
